We built this evidence-based 2026 list of Orlando HIE lawyers by looking at what each firm handles, then checking its published results against client feedback.
Percy Martinez comes first on this list. The firm's site discusses HIE within its medical malpractice practice, with a published settlement from a surgical-negligence case. When you call, ask who handles birth injury claims, including who pays the costs of the case. A lawyer should check your child's dates against Florida's filing rules.
5.081 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 81 reviews
Best for: Families seeking a malpractice-focused firm
Percy Martinez's practice is medical malpractice, and the firm's site discusses HIE and birth injury claims. That's why it leads this list. In the firm's published $8.4 million settlement, an operating room technician photographed the wrong-site marking, and a reconstruction expert helped establish what happened.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
5.019 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 19 reviews
Best for: Birth negligence and HIE claims
Treto Law Firm's clients repeatedly mention updates in their reviews, sometimes describing calls to ask how they were doing. Those calls may matter to a family still waiting for answers about what happened during a difficult delivery. The Orlando firm focuses on medical negligence, with HIE and birth injury claims covered on its site.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
5.0723 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 723 reviews
Best for: Families needing multilingual communication
NeJame Law says it offers English and Spanish, along with Portuguese and Italian. If you need one of those languages, ask about access before your consultation. With Mark NeJame named as owner, the Orlando firm's practice covers HIE as well as birth injury claims.
Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Orlando can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
4.522,237 Google reviewsRated 4.5 out of 5 on Google from 22237 reviews
Best for: Families assessing birth injury trial results
A published birth injury verdict is Morgan & Morgan's clearest distinction here. In 2007, a Hillsborough County jury awarded $37.8 million after doctors delayed a needed C-section, leaving Brendan Dixon with severe brain injury and lifelong disabilities. Attorneys Armando Lauritano and Keith Carter represented the Coleman family.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.8171 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 171 reviews
Best for: Families seeking hands-on birth injury support
You'll find Paul Trial Group's office in Winter Park, 5 km from Orlando, not within Orlando's city limits. About half its practice is medical malpractice, with HIE and cerebral palsy discussed on the firm's site. Clients describe a team that stays involved, keeping them updated through the case.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
To check the dates, a lawyer asks when the incident happened and when it was or should have been discovered. Under Florida's general rule, you have 2 years, subject to a 4-year outer limit. Children's claims have rules that need separate review.
Investigate the medical care
Before you sue, Florida requires you to make a reasonable investigation. Ask what additional records the lawyer needs after bringing those you already have. Find out how the firm will review the care given to your child.
Obtain the medical opinion
To corroborate the notice of intent, Florida requires a qualified medical expert's verified written opinion. Have the lawyer explain what that means for your claim. Who pays for the medical review is worth asking, too.
Give notice before suing
Before you sue, you must give notice of intent, but you still need to check the filing deadline. Have your lawyer explain how the notice fits with the expert opinion, then what needs to happen before filing a complaint.
File and discuss the next steps
Ask the lawyer to explain the complaint and what comes next if your claim becomes a lawsuit. Different outcomes appear in this list's published settlement and verdict. You can't get a timetable or a prediction for your family from either.
Malpractice claims in Orlando: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Florida
The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most4 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Expert paperworkBefore suing, the claimant must make a reasonable investigation, and the notice of intent must be corroborated by a verified written opinion of a qualified medical expert.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Contingency fees are how Percy Martinez, Treto Law Firm and Morgan & Morgan say they work. If the claim fails, there's no attorney's fee; otherwise, the lawyer takes a share of the recovery. A free consultation is offered by every listed firm. Separate from the lawyer's fee are case costs, including records and medical opinions, along with fees charged by the court. Those expenses don't become free because the consultation is. Find out who advances costs, then when they must be repaid. Without a recovery, would you still owe them? Because the firms' stated policies don't show who usually carries those costs, ask for the fee arrangement and your responsibility for costs in writing before you sign.
A free consultation is offered by all five listed firms, they say. Contingency fees are also confirmed by three of them.
What to bring to your first call
If you have them, your child's medical records and the delivery notes
When the delivery happened and the date you first learned of the injury
Which hospital and clinicians were involved, listed by name
Records of related expenses, along with your medical bills
Letters or messages you've received from the hospital or insurer
What happened, laid out in a brief written timeline
For the lawyer's deadline review, the date your child was born
The questions you most want answered, written down as notes
Questions to ask a lawyer
1Have you handled HIE or birth injury claims where the circumstances were like my child's?
2When we call, who answers, and who handles our file?
3When must we file a claim for our child?
4Who will you arrange to do the medical expert's review?
5If we don't recover money, is any attorney's fee payable?
6If the claim fails, who must pay the case costs?
7Before we meet again, what records should we ask for?
8Will you explain your reasons if you decline our case?
Choose around your child's case
Which lawyer would actually be responsible for handling your child's file? A website's HIE page doesn't mean the firm limits its work to that kind of case. You don't have to decide there's a legal claim before calling. Describe the circumstances of your child's birth and ask about claims the lawyer has handled like it, including what they'd need to check in the delivery notes.
Read the published results closely. Morgan & Morgan lists a verdict involving a delayed C-section, while Percy Martinez's published settlement concerns wrong-site marking. These are actual outcomes from different medical events. The dollar amount alone won't tell you much. Ask the lawyer what makes that past case relevant to your child's care.
Ask how the working relationship will feel
Who can you contact with questions when there's no major development, and how do you reach that person? Reviews often discuss staying in touch, but some clients mention unanswered calls or stretches of silence.
If you need another language, ask who'll talk with you as your case moves forward. NeJame Law lists several languages, but you'll need to check availability for your own file.
Ask what the firm looks at when deciding to take a claim. If yours is declined, ask the firm why. Does your filing deadline need to be dealt with right away?
Read the fee agreement before you sign it. Every listed firm says the consultation is free, but you'll still need to ask what expenses could come up after that meeting. Three firms say they charge contingency fees. Does the lawyer get paid only when you recover money, and would a failed claim still leave you owing the costs of the case?
Florida requires a reasonable investigation before you sue, then a notice of intent that has a qualified medical expert's verified written opinion to support it. Who will arrange the medical review? Ask who'll pay for that review, not just who arranges it. Bring whatever records you already have so the lawyer can see what still needs to be collected.
Be wary of anyone promising a result or refusing to write down the fees. You should know what to do next after a consultation, even if the firm hasn't yet decided whether it'll take your case. This is general information, not advice about your claim. Your family needs a Florida lawyer to explain which rules apply to you.
Questions people ask
How soon should I call an Orlando HIE lawyer?
Don't wait. Even without every medical record, you can make the call. Under Florida's general rule, you must file within 2 years of the incident or when it was or should have been discovered, subject to a 4-year outer limit. Before you sue, the state also requires an investigation and medical opinion. Ask a Florida lawyer which rules apply after reviewing your dates.
Does my child's age change the filing deadline?
If a claim is brought on a child's behalf on or before the eighth birthday, Florida says the 4-year and 7-year limits don't bar it. The other filing rules still have to be read with that rule. That isn't a reason to delay getting a consultation. To help the lawyer review it, provide your child's birth date and the dates of the care at issue.
Is the first consultation free?
According to all five firms on this list, the first consultation is free. Find out what happens if the firm accepts your file, and whether it handles cases like your child's. Even with a free consultation, you'll need to ask about later expenses, including whether you'll pay for medical reviews or other case costs. Before deciding, ask to see the proposed fee agreement.
What happens to legal fees if the claim fails?
Contingency fees are confirmed by Percy Martinez, Treto Law Firm and Morgan & Morgan. If the claim fails, the lawyer gets no attorney's fee; payment is a share of any recovery. Case costs still need discussing. Even without a recovery, would you owe for records or medical opinions? Ask the lawyer, and make sure the answer is in writing.
What does Florida require before a malpractice lawsuit?
A claimant must make a reasonable investigation before suing. To corroborate the notice of intent, Florida also requires a qualified medical expert's verified written opinion. Even a positive client review or the firm's HIE webpage can't take that opinion's place. Have a lawyer explain how they'd arrange the medical review of your child's care.
How long will an HIE claim take?
The firms' published information doesn't give a reliable estimate of case length. NeJame Law's client feedback mentions that cases can take time, with quiet periods along the way. That doesn't set a schedule for your claim. Ask what happens next and how you'll get updates. The time needed to resolve a case is separate from Florida's filing deadline.
Does an HIE diagnosis mean we have a malpractice case?
Whether a claim meets Florida's pre-suit requirements can't be determined from an HIE diagnosis alone. Before suit, the state requires a reasonable investigation, along with a qualified medical expert's verified written opinion supporting the notice of intent. If you have records, bring them with the delivery notes. Before the firm can assess your claim, ask what medical review it needs.
Does Florida cap damages in a medical negligence case?
Damage caps aren't enforced in Florida. You can't infer what your claim might be worth, or whether it will succeed, from that rule. Florida's wrongful death act limits who can recover non-economic damages if a loved one died (these are losses other than bills or other financial expenses). Have a Florida lawyer explain whether those restrictions affect your family.
What if our child died after the medical care?
Ask a Florida lawyer to examine your family's relationship to the child along with the medical care. Florida's wrongful death act restricts who can recover non-economic damages when medical negligence causes a death. Wrongful death matters are handled by several firms listed here. Have the lawyer check the filing dates and pre-suit requirements that apply to your family's claim.
Do all the listed firms have an Orlando office?
Orlando offices are listed for Percy Martinez, Treto Law Firm, NeJame Law and Morgan & Morgan. In Winter Park, 5 km from Orlando, you'll find Paul Trial Group's office. Although location may influence your choice, find out who will handle the file and how you'll keep in touch. NeJame Law lists English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, but if you need language access, check that it's available for your case.
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